Hey guys,

I recently got a really good deal on a used (pristine condition) MPC 500 (about 175 euros).

Knowing that I currently use a maschine mikro mk2, an sp-404SX (which I use the most out of all my gear) and ableton, would you guys recommend an MPC 500?

Thanks a lot

i had one and it was my first mpc
lots of submenus to dive with for me
and too hard pads
i sold it and i bought an mpc1000, by wich i learned mpcs...now i could use an mpc500 without problems

Hit up illgreen, he's an MPC500 fan and could probably answer any question you throw at him.

I've used a mpc500, 1000 and 2500. My favorite was the 1000. Least favorite was the 500. (The 500 I used had the mpc fat pads too, they help.)

The 500 is dope!I liked it a lot better than the 1000...make sure you get the fat pads for it! The 500 is like a mini 3000!

Yeah i really like mine too. The S2000 was my first sampler so it wasn't hard to get used to the mpc500 workflow. I wish it had a mark button though.
I saw a video tutorial about fixing the pads and put some rubber from a bicycle tube under the pads. Now they are responding perfectly. Cheap and easy fix.

The 500 was my first sampler, I had never picked up a sampler before that and it took me ages to learn how to use it. But when I moved in to other samplers like the MPC2000 and sp404 I learned them in a heartbeat. I also had real low memory on the 500 but it was really great because it set up a logical conclusion for when to finish a beat. Really fun and portable, in retrospect some of my favourite beats were made on it. If you have the patience to play around on it then it will defs pay off when you return to other equipment. Some fun little effects in there too!

Seeing how he already had a SP-404 and a Mikro MK2, I probably wouldn't get the MPC500. 175 bucks is not a particularly bad deal, but I've seen the MPC1K go for as low as like 200-250 which would be a more interesting deal in my eyes.

Do you use your Mikro MK2 a lot, or not? Because I feel that can do a hundred times more than the MPC500 would. I'm aware limitations can encourage additional creativity and such, so don't get me wrong there. But both in terms of FX and in terms of sequencing, the SP-404 + Maschine Mikro MK2 already sounds like you've got what you'd need.

Anyway, just my thoughts. I've got plenty of gear lust myself, so I know it's sometimes hard to pass on a good deal like this.